Spinning Around
by Almost Something
Summary: Funny how people have a way of ignoring the obvious. H/C. Hameron?
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **Okay, this one is definitely going to be multi-chaptered! One of my secret fantasies is finally coming true. Hah. Better not wish for the devil. Anyway.. read, hopefully like, review. And.. don't question it. House/Cameron, even though it doesn't really appear that way first.  
_

_**Disclaimer: **__Don't own anyone. Do you?_

* * *

September.

The mere flicker of the small word left a bittersweet taste in her mouth, a taste she wasn't so sure she liked. It reminded her of old pennies.. the ones her grandfather used to keep in his office. She had loved them, once upon a time. Now the memory of those days only left her shivering in the warm, salty breeze. She tucked the soft scarf more securely around her neck, letting it cover the bruises that were already forming there. But her fingers came to a sudden halt when they brushed against the hem of her shirt.

_September_.

She had never been the forgetting kind. Forgiving, yes. Plenty of reasons for that, one statement more ridiculous than the other. Yet it didn't require honesty or the complicated matters of complete, true approval, only a slightly inane need for tranquility. And a certain degree of trust.

The art of simply forgetting... forgetting about everyone and everything... had always been beyond her.

Funny how everything can spin out of control if you only let it.

Funny how people have a way of ignoring the obvious.

* * *

"Stop doing that."

"What, that? Come on, it's a phone, mum!"

She muttered something quite unintelligibly under her breath. House's eyebrows rose up at the new teasing opportunity, but he held back, another thought entering his ever-working mind.

"Could you repeat it a little louder again? Wasn't able to catch it the first time. Profoundly deaf and all, you know."

"I said it's not mum, it's ALLISON."

"Allie?" Cutie.

"Yes, House. Cameron for you."

"Happy belated birthday then, I guess."

Pause.

"Uh... my birthday was in April."

"Whatever, whatever... let's spare those tricky details, shall we? There's something _far_ more important I need to know the answer to."

"Like... ?"

"Why did you tell Chase your birthday was this month?"

"I didn't. And even if I had, that wouldn't have been any of your business, House."

Oh, these subtle warnings. His name was already flashing in a rather bright orange. He could nearly picture her narrowing her eyes at the phone and his visage on the display.

"Of course not. That's why you requested a week off and haven't been sighted on this site of Princeton for the last few months, I'm sure."

She had to give him credit – he was nearly straight to the point.

"Whatever I tell my friends," she stressed that part,

".. and colleagues is confidential. Other than that, I'm sure you have your own opinion already, so why bother?"

"Why bother? Why bother? I'm your boss, I don't need a reason."

Years ago, such a fierceness in his voice would have sent her running. Now, it left her feeling hollow again.

"What do you want?"

"Same as you."

"Really? I always suspected it, but I don't believe you're smitten with Johnny Depp of all sudden."

"Damn. And there I thought I could get away with it," he chuckled dryly.

"Look, House, I don't care about your motives. I don't care what possessed you to call me now, after months in which I'm sure you had enough time to search your desk and find something. I. Don't. Care. Just leave me alone."

He frowned, not having suspected her to be this stubborn, but before his tongue had wrapped itself around a fitting reply, he was met by the steady dial tone. Just peachy. Still, he didn't call Cameron back immediately. He took his time in thinking the words over in his head, letting them create a steady sermon. She would understand.

He finally relented.

"I already know what happened, yeah. But I want to hear it from you."

And then he put the phone down for good, totally unaware of the quiet storm his words would cause whenever the voicemail reached its destination.

Thousands of miles away, a dark-haired woman with a striking resemblance to a certain former immunologist dipped her feet slowly into the warm waves of the ocean, a cell phone and a silky scarf lying forgotten in the sand next to her. She smiled. And allowed the world around her to fall apart without her.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: **Thanks for your reviews! I guess I forgot to mention that this story is somewhat AU, so please don't be too confused. It'll come together. Eventually. Because... season 4 never happened here in Germany ;) I'm happily pretending it doesn't exist._

* * *

"_People don't get to be likable all the time. It's only a concealment. You, my dear, are indeed hiding something. What's it?_"

His careless, albeit inquisitive words never seemed to leave her.

It had been a game to her, then.. feeding him bit for tiny little bit of what she could spare and wouldn't miss too much. Taunting him with her personal life as she would have done with a puppy begging for ice cream. He had been good at playing, though. He managed to catch nearly every single piece of information she flung at him, putting them together with an ease that never seemed to cease her.

But he hadn't been quick enough.

And now he was her only connection to the world that once held her whole life.

She madly dabbed at the tears spilling down her cheeks with her sleeve, but the action only made her cry harder. She hadn't even brought a handkerchief with her.

"God, why didn't I think of packing those damned things?"

Nobody answered her.

She rested her head against the cool tiles of the bathroom. The coldness created a pleasant sensation on her heated skin, finally easing the ache of the sunburns a bit. It was soothing, and after a short moment, Cameron felt the exhaustion return, along with the familiar tingling in her fingertips that always meant migraine.

Sleep suddenly didn't feel so bad anymore. She slid further down the wall, her eyes slowly falling shut.

* * *

When she came to herself again, the light outside was diminishing.

The room was silent, not a sound was getting through the opened windows, but Cameron couldn't help but notice just how _unnerving _the lack of noise was. She'd grown accustomed to the pristine nature and calm peace around her house and the nearby villages, but in a city as large and crowded like Melbourne, it didn't fit. It was.. creepy.

With a sigh, she pushed herself into a more composed position.

She only hoped that the café wasn't locked up yet for the night. She needed to get out.

Sighing again, and retrieving her purse from the toilet seat, she stood up carefully and made her way towards the restroom door.

She tried the knob and was surprised when it turned without resistance, opening and giving her no choice but to throw herself into the hectic, daily life of a single woman working in one of Australia's largest métropoles.

_Push the button? You'll get cookies._


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: **Thanks for all your reviews! They keep me alive :)_

He was angry. No, not just angry in that I'm-gonna-chop-your-head-off-with-my-cane kind of way, but really, really angry. Beyond furious. And it was all _her _fault.

He could feel his control slipping. With each breath he took, it slowly floated away. The stream of possibilities for this uncommon event was fairly large, but he couldn't ignore the giant Cameron-shaped hole in the wall of the conference room. He could certainly try, but others saw it, too. The girl had fled the scene without preamble and never turned back to wish them well.

Nobody else knew about the letter, though.

She had skillfully placed it between the books on the shelve, and he needed five days to figure out the _why_. Why had she hidden it there, of all places? The official letter of resignation on his desk would've been enough. But no - Allison Cameron wasn't ordinary. She was needy. And needy people got out of their way to get something.

She had written a second letter.

Oddly enough, it didn't explain a thing... it was simply a random letter, more like a note, talking about the most random things in the world. Like her patients, or her friends. It was utterly boring. And boring wasn't something he had learned to expect from her.

_House,_

_my resignation is somewhere on your desk, go find it. I hope you'll get a laugh or two out of it._

_Whatever happened is in the past, and I don't plan on dwelling on it for too long. My friends are going to help me with my stuff, so there's no need for you to tell me I can't borrow Chase and Foreman. I knew you would put up a fight. _

_It's no secret that I got way too involved with our patients, but I hope everyone can at least try and be nice every once in a while. _

_Goodbye._

_C._

* * *

He had cringed when he saw her girly signature, but it hadn't been too bad considering what she did with his "g"s. It was a blessing he'd never seen her write down his full name.

Besides that, it didn't tell him anything. But he was quite curious about the third sentence.

"'Whatever happened is in the past...' sounds like she regrets something, dude."

The face next to him grunted in agreement, but didn't elaborate further. Instead, the attached hand lifted a bottle of beer to the also corresponding mouth and chugged it down.

House grinned widely.

Using his own bottle to wash down the bitter taste of his last shot of whiskey, he merrily toasted to his new best friend.

Strange bars were so much _fun._


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: **If this chapter had a title, it would be "High Time". Lyrics belong to the amazing Michael Penn. And you, SzmandaEads, rock. _

_What a scene  
What a drama  
Just to find the door  
That was mean  
That was totally uncalled for  
Have you reached the point  
Where you must choose  
Between what you lost and  
What you stand to lose  
Isn't it high time?_

She was at the beach again.

Her feet slowly dipped into the water, and she relished in the much needed chilling. Her fingertips drew lazy circles in the sand. Whatever had happened all through the day, now it was only a distant memory, a quiet voice in the back of her head. Another one. But time didn't matter anymore, and it was useless to ponder every word he had ever said to her.

"_What's it?_"

She had also never given him an answer.

Now, sitting in the midst of nowhere, her reluctance felt childish. He would always want to solve what was a mystery to him. It didn't faze him at all that she seemed to be the only puzzle he hadn't been able to complete. Technically, he had simply given up on her.

Then why did she feel like she missed the most important fact?

Because... she had.

_Could it be that the future's going  
To turn out great?  
Well, we'll see  
Meantime somebody  
Lays in wait  
'til you reach the point where  
You must choose  
Between what you've lost  
And what you stand to lose  
So come up with a new line  
'cause baby it's high time_

Realization dawned quickly once she saw the pattern behind his actions.

Her mind reeled.

Had he really planned it all along? The accusations, the fights? Had it been his goal from the start to make her mad enough to quit and leave? Had he, and her heart was racing now, had he only done this to her to get a second chance?

And – was he really _that_ stupid?

Confusion was first.

Anger came next.

_That bastard! How dare he?_

She let out a shaky breath, trying to focus again. She wasn't the one who lost. He did. All his careful planning was going to go down the hill because he had forgotten the one thing he couldn't control: Humanity.

_What a shame  
I know nothing's ever  
Been this tough  
Out of blame  
And out of all of that other stuff  
But when you're alone with  
What you've left  
And you've done bereaved and  
Been bereft enough  
You have reached the point  
Where you must choose  
Between what you've lost  
And what you stand to lose  
Isn't it high time  
Baby it's high time  
Baby it's high time_

* * *

_You already know what to do, folks._


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: **Sorry for the delay. I'm also sorry that some of you thought this story was too confusing and stopped reading altogether. I planned it out that way and won't change it now. Besides, this is the second last chapter, so I think I'll have it out by tomorrow. I tried to make things clearer in the last chapter and in this one... I hope you'll understand._

"And now?"

The other just shrugged carelessly in response. She hadn't thought about anything beyond this point yet. When she was honest with herself, she hadn't even considered this trip for a moment before she was already on her way. If it hadn't felt wrong back then, it surely did now.

"You don't _know_?"

"Yeah. Or, no?"

"Dr. Cameron!"

"Fine. You are right, I had no idea what possessed me to fly out there in the first place. And right now I don't feel like sharing the reason I came back with you. It's... personal."

Cuddy smiled. She knew exactly what had been the reason for the girl to come back to Princeton once more. But she wasn't about to embarrass her in front of the other board members.

"Okay then. But I'm afraid you'll need to give a statement."

Cameron briefly closed her eyes, but quickly snapped them open again forcefully.

_Don't show any weakness_.

Her fists clenched at her sides. She took a deep breath again, allowing the air to enter her abused lungs in a rush. She hadn't realized how much she had dreaded the meeting. Cuddy she could manage. Chase and Foreman too. House... that one luckily hadn't happened until now. Wilson was too noble to make a scene. But all those strange people who were only there to make her feel uncomfortable – she hadn't anticipated them. They weren't included in the firm welcome-back-manual she used to rely on. She should have, of course – it was the usual procedure after a departure as sudden as her escape to Australia. Since the real cause wasn't written down anywhere, Cameron could only guess just how much everybody in the hospital knew. But bad news traveled fast these days.

"Fine, Dr. Cuddy. For when shall I rehearse my plea?"

Around the table, everybody groaned. Obviously a new mini-House had been born out of the ashes of their youngest, soon-to-be-employed immunologist.

* * *

Shadows didn't lie down. They also didn't make sounds. So it was only a natural gesture when House poked this one with his cane and it gave a startled yelp.

"Ow, why'd you have to do _that_?_"_

For a small second, he allowed the corners of his mouth to lift up. She almost didn't catch the small notion, but then she grinned slowly. Okay so far.

"I wanted to? You need someone to gently get you up in the morning, don't ask me."

"It's not in the morning," Cameron responded, the grin still in place. He took a few steps back.

"Oh, but it is. In Australia. And now get your sorry ass off my couch before I make you."

Puzzled, Cameron shook her head no.

"I'm here now," she told him.

"Good for you."

When she didn't move away immediately, his fingers searched for and found the spare cushion he had hidden behind the couch. He let it fall onto her legs, and before she could get in a word edgewise, he had already propped his feet up, resting them on her lap comfortably.

"Now who's getting onto whom?"


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: **This was written in France, so still not beta'd. My stories usually are, so apologies for any mistakes you might find. And... still at least one more chapter to come. I just hope the next one will be longer :( But I seriously suck at writing the long ones._

* * *

"Now who's getting onto whom?"

He chuckled, though her angry glare finally caused him to move his feet once more. But was that woman satisfied now? Of course not. It was his turn to shoot her an annoyed look when she turned around on his couch and sat up straighter again, this time facing him directly.

He could almost see the question in her eyes before she asked it.

"Why did you call?"

He'd been lying if he told her he didn't know what she was talking about. The urge to do just that was tempting, but when he saw her waiting patiently, her eyebrows drawn together in what seemed to be confusion, he found himself at a loss for words. He couldn't lie to her again. It was a strange feeling.

"Missedyou," he breathed out in a rush.

"Sorry?"

This was it; his comfortable way out of everything. It would be easy to tell her to let it go. Knowing Cameron, she'd go with it for now. He was amazed at the words that instead found their way out.

"I missed you around... the coffee still hasn't learned to make itself. I mean, that would be pretty cool considering it would be a small robot and all then, and it would have to follow commands just as good as-"

He didn't get to elaborate further.

Soft, yielding lips were suddenly pressed against his, silencing him. But just as quick, her touch was gone. He opened his eyes – when had he closed them? to find her perched on the opposite side of the couch, a serene smile on her face when she spoke again.

"You missed me."

"Like hell."

And then _he _was the one reaching out, drawing her into his embrace. He brushed a chaste kiss across her lips, not sure what to make of the new found privileges, but his doubts were all but erased when her mouth opened under his in a silent invitation. He slipped his tongue inside, letting it explore every inch of her, letting his hands room all over her at the same time. She tasted like cinnamon and felt like silk. It was only when she let out a low moan that he remembered where they were. Or, more exactly, where they _weren't_.

With great effort, he slowed the kiss.

"Cameron... Allison. We've got to stop," he whispered fiercely into her ear, his breath causing goosebumps to rise on her heated skin. She blinked, her eyes smoky.

She nodded reluctantly.

"Yeah... talk. We need to talk about... " she wildly gestured between them,

"... this. And what happened before."


End file.
